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CFCFA Logistics Management Training

Cold Chain Logistics

Definition of Cold Chain

The cold chain refers to the transportation

of temperature sensitive products along a
supply chain through thermal and
refrigerated packaging methods and the
logistical planning to protect the
integrity of these shipments.

Key Elements of Cold Chain

Product A product is characterized by physical

attributes requiring specific temperature and
humidity conditions (e.g. perishability, fragility)
Origin / Destination The respective locations
where a temperature-sensitive product is
produced and consumed. It is indicative of the
potential difficulty of making a product available at
a market.
Distribution The methods and infrastructures
available to transport a product in a temperaturecontrolled environment.

An Example of Cold Chain

Design Target of Cold Chains

Safety & security are critical
Integrity & trust of supply chain
Clear, tight chain of control , with well articulated
responsibilities of participants
Traceability of product movement
Tamper proof packaging
Avoid cross-contamination (e.g. mixing Halal &
non-Halal, product with pungent odor with
delicate products and transporting food in trucks
that previously handled toxic chemicals)
Temperature monitoring device in product and in
transport vehicle

Relations Fundamental in Cold Chain Operations

Conditional demand The demand of a product at a

market (or place of consumption) is conditional to its
qualitative attributes (freshness, number of days left
until expiration date).
Load integrity Relates to the load conditions that must
be provided to insure that a product keeps its value
during transport. It can include adequate packaging and
packing, as well as the conditioning that the product
must go through before transport (e.g. fruit washed
and cooled down prior to transport & storage).
Transport & Storage integrity The temperature
controlled environment remains constant during
transport, at the terminals and at the distribution
centers involved in the transport chain

Achieve Temperature Controlled Environments

Different products require different temperature level

maintenance to ensure their integrity throughout the
travel process. For instance, the most common
temperatures are "banana" (13 C), "chill" (2 C),
"frozen" (-18 C) and "deep frozen" (-29 C).

Proper temperature control depends on:

Temperature of product at origin
Desire temperature range
Duration of transit
Size of the shipment
Nature of product
Packaging
Ambient or outside temperatures
Targeted ending temperature of product at destination

Means of Controlling Temperature

Power source required

Mechanical refrigeration (e.g. Thermo King,
Carrier) is used in 50% of all the refrigerated

cargo transported in the world

Heater
Smudge pot

Power source not required

Dry ice
Wet ice
Gel packs
Eutectic plates
Liquid nitrogen
Insulated blankets
Styrofoam containers

Organization of Cold Chains

Shipment preparation. Cold chain devices are
commonly designed to keep temperature constant, not
to bring shipment to desire temperature
Modal choice. Based on distance between origin and
destination, size and weight of the shipment, exterior
temperature environment and time sensitivity
The "Last Mile". Must match receiving requirements
& final transfer of shipment into storage facilities
Integrity and quality assurance. Share data from
temperature recording devices & smart seals
Custom procedures. Must be familiar with Customs
procedures to avoid delays

Cold Chain Products

Food fruits, vegetable, meat, prepared food
Beverages wine, beer, juice, bottled water
Pharmaceuticals bio-engineered drugs,
antibiotics, experimental drug compounds
Medical products - IV solutions
Specialty chemicals
Water based paint & adhesives
Human organs

Food Transportation
Innovations in packaging, fruit and vegetable coatings
& controlled ripening reduce deterioration and extend
the reach of perishable products. (e.g. banana grown
in Central America is sold around the world).
Food industry can take advantage of global
seasonable variations (e.g. during winter the southern
hemisphere can export fruits/vegetables to the
northern hemisphere) & wage patterns.
Source loading directly into a reefer extends the shelf
life of product.
Integrity of food cold chain is critical for food safety

Containerization & the Flexibility of Cold Chains

Temperature Recording Device

Ocean Reefer Storage at Port of New York/Newark

Shelf Life & Optimal Temperature of Food Products

Product

Shelf Life (Days)

Optimum Temperature
(Celcius)

Apple
Bananas
Bell Peppers
Cabbage
Eggs
Onions
Lettuce
Fresh Meat (beef,
lamb, pork, poultry)
Oranges
Pears
Potatoes
Seafood (shrimp,
lobster, crab)
Strawberries
Tomatoes

90-240
7-28
21-35
14-20
180
30-180
12-14

0
13.5
7
1
1.1
1
0.6

14-65

-2

21-90
120-180
30-50

7
-0.6
10

120-360

-17.8

5-10
7-14

0.6
12

Meat Cold Chain Logistics

Cold Transport Chain

Transit Time (Days)

Typical Shelf Life

(Days)

Refrigerated truck / Cold-storage facility

transloading / Air

4-5

30-35

Refrigerated truck / Cold-storage facility

transloading / Maritime shipping

15-16

30-35

Source loading with Reefer / Maritime

shipping

15-16

55-60

Practical Ideas on Building an Agricultural Product

Logistics Network in KGZ and KAZ

Create an agricultural logistics network with very

low capital investment.
Rebuild, repair Soviet era storage facilities
in villages (including underground cellars,
sheds)
Set up packing facilities in towns to
process agricultural products
Build consolidation terminals at or near
transport network nodes to consolidate
packed products shipping

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

The practical ideas are based on the following

principles:
Proper storage & packaging extend shelf life and
protects quality
Fast delivery means less spoilage and more selling
time
Damaged and over-ripen produce will quickly rot
and spread to other products
Avoid mixing ethylene generating produce with
ethylene sensitive produce
Careful handling, stowage & ventilation during
transport will reduce damage

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Preparation after harvest

Remove rotten, over-ripen, damaged, bruised,
insect infested products
Wash and clean products
Dry products thoroughly
Handle product carefully to avoid damage
Store products in clean, cool, dark, vented pest
free environment (can be a cellar) before
shipping
Avoid storing incompatible products together

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Preparation before shipping (usually at packing

facility)
Sort product by size, quality, degree of ripeness (ripe
products have very short shelf life and must be
delivered to market within a very short time)
Cull out dirty, insect infested, damaged, rotten, overripen product
Dry product completely
Pack product properly (do not overfill carton) and
use correct packaging to reduce handling and
transport damage
Provide sufficient space within shipping carton to
maintain dryness and to reduce concentration of
harmful gas emitted by agricultural products (e.g.
ethylene, carbon dioxide)

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Proper transport and handling

Fruits and vegetables should have enough post
harvest life left for trip to market & subsequent
selling time. Do not accept hot, over-ripen,
damaged, bruised, unclean, insect infested produce.
When mechanical refrigeration is not available or too
costly, consider using:
Insulated blanket
Styrofoam containers
Ice (if compatible with product)

Avoid mixing product that emits ethylene gas

(apricot, pear, melon, tomato)with products
sensitive to ethylene gas (apple, cucumber, carrots,
potato) in the same vehicle
Insulated blankets & Styrofoam containers are only suitable for shipping robust fruits & vegetables (e.g. apple,
melon potato, onion) when ambient temperature is between 2 to 15 Celsius

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Proper transport and handling

Use a clean, cool, insect free vehicle to pick up
product, preferably in the morning
The vehicle should be in good running
condition to avoid emergency repair that will
delay delivery
Load and secure product carefully, damage will
cause fruit and vegetable to rot
Use carton board or plywood decking to
distribute weight pressure
Apply bracing to secure the rear cartons
Do not load produce sensitive to vibration
damage directly above steel-spring
Insulated blankets & Styrofoam containers are only suitable for shipping robust fruits & vegetables (e.g. apple, melon
potato, onion) when ambient temperature is between 2 to 15 Celsius

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Proper transport and handling

Keep trucks moving movement supplies
ventilation and speeds up delivery time
When stopping is necessary, park the truck in a
shaded, well ventilated location
Work with border control officials to assign
special times slots for agricultural product
clearance or to set up a green corridor for
expedited border crossing
Work with border control officials to create
practical means of dealing with overload (e.g.
imposing a reasonable fine instead of blocking
truck passage)
Insulated blankets & Styrofoam containers are only suitable for shipping robust fruits & vegetables (e.g. apple, melon
potato, onion) when ambient temperature is between 2 to 15 Celsius.

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

A basic fruit washing and packing facility

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

A small but adequate cold storage facility near Ganja, AZE

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Setting up insulated blankets for produce shipping
(Please note truck fully loaded with tomato in background)

Practical Ideas on Agricultural Product Logistics

Oranges, lemons & apples are protected by insulated blankets

Thank You!

Andy Sze
ADB Transport & Logistics Consultant
andyszeadb@gmail.com
1-630-910-6777